Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Some more updates for those of you following the development of this project:

1. I apologize for not yet responding to all my emails, particularly those offering assistance. I've been floored by the large number of responses I got and it's taking me a few days to reply to them all, but I will do so. Please bear with me.

2. In all likelihood, the site for the megadungeon will launch sometime next week. I'm not sure of the precise date yet, since it depends on how quickly I can get all the initial materials together. Things are coming along very quickly, though, so it shouldn't be too long before it's all under way.

3. Initially, the online material will focus on the surface ruins of the place. Take a look at the map I posted yesterday for an idea of what's in store. If anyone has any ideas for encounters, tricks, traps, treasures, rumors, or anything else pertaining to these area, send them my way. I'll likely be very selective with what I can use initially, since I want to be sure the early material sets the tone for the whole megadungeon. Not having posted much yet, it'll be harder for contributors to intuit what I'm getting at now than it will be later. So, caveat scriptor.

4. More specific guidelines for what I want/need will be forthcoming in a day or two.

5. I am likely to use Swords & Wizardry Core Rules for this project. Lots of people have sent me advice and suggestions about this question and there seems to be a clear majority of people for whom S&W is their preference. It's position as a "Rosetta clone" makes it easier for people to convert to their favorite old school system, especially if, as I will, I put aside my dislike of Ascending AC for the greater good and use it.

3 comments:

Aw, man... I was really pleased last time when you said straight OD&D would be the mechanical format. You've probably thought about it a lot already, but I would have thought to tap OD&D as the true "Rosetta Stone" a let people pick their current retro-clone of choice to interface with it.

My main issue with going with straight OD&D is that I explicitly want to make the project "open" under the terms of the OGL and that pretty much demands I use a retro-clone. Since S&W is about 90% identical to OD&D, it seems the best choice. Plus, as I said, it's what I use in my home campaign, so I'm very familiar with it.

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